– Blue Smoke founder Danny Meyer is consulting to improve the food on Delta flights. “Barbecue is also appropriate for eating at altitude because high elevations dull the taste buds.” That’s right folks, barbecue is good at any altitude.

– No details were shared about the methodology of this barbecue blind tasting, but some folks got together in Austin to try Franklin Barbecue, la Barbecue, and John Mueller Meat Co. head-to-head-to-head. La Barbecue was the big winner in this tight race.

– From D Magazine comes a few ideas of what to drink with your barbecue. “For smoked ribs and brisket chose a hearty, bold and robust red like an Argentine Malbec, Greek Xinomavro, Italian Sagrantino or some hearty Spanish or Portuguese red blend…” or how about a Shiner or a Dr Pepper?

Meat Fight outtake. Photo by Catherine Downes

– Meat Fight is a barbecue event in Dallas that’s coming up in November. To properly announce the competitors they did a photo shoot this week for their website. The outtakes are meaty comedy gold.

– If you’ve ever wondered what Santa Maria style barbecue is, here’s a great introduction. A list of the best places to try it (all in California) is also included.

– Here’s a round-up of a few Texas barbecue events coming up later this summer and fall. The barbecue doesn’t stop on Labor Day in Texas.

– 100 years ago the El Paso Herald reported on a public barbecue. “Nine thousand people were fed at the barbecue and it is certain that thousands were turned away empty…The meats were splendidly barbecued, those who got to feed fat on it say that nothing better was ever served and it was cooked absolutely to perfection.”

– Chefs can learn plenty from pitmasters, but the learning can go both ways.

– An Austin-born chef opened a Texas-style BBQ joint in Philly then got a show on Food Network called “Bubba-Q”. I guess he considered the show a success because he’s no longer with that BBQ joint that he opened.

– Chasin’ Tail BBQ (recently featured in our Highway BBQ list) must close by the end of the year to make way for highway expansion. That’s some sort of highway irony.

– The North Texas Fair & Rodeo in Denton crowned its youngest barbecue champion over the weekend. Eighteen year old Krum resident Colton Hill took home the title.

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